The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-08-25
Col. Burgwyn at the Interstate
Farmers Convention.

From the Charlotte Chronicle we take
the following. Speaking of the prominent
| part the North Carolina representatives
| took at tie Inter-S State Convention Oh
| Farmers assembled in Atlanta last week,
| il saws of cur townsman, Col. Burgwyn:
Col. VIM II s. Burgwyn, Of Henderson,
made very pretty response to the welcome
| speecl of the Mayor OF the city. We copy
/ few extracts:
| We come from that section of this now
unltrd country which had the misfortune
! TO bn Oh the losing side i'll the late contest
| but though our Cause was lost, the hcf0lSsh,
| PATRIOTISM, and immortal deeds OF those
| citizen soldiers can never die; (applauSe
and these glorious memories VIII lie chef-
/ ished and handed down to our posteflty as
| a priceless heritage. TO none, sir, OF that
! gallant band do we give more legal hGm-
! age than to Georgia fav0rlte son who as
| soldier, statesman ana now Chief eXecu-
tive-embodies tie most perfect represeil,
! tative of an American citizen. Applause. ]
The matchlcSs sOldiery, who un'ier your
| brilliant leadership achieved such distinc-
! ton as is the glory Of Eation-Were
| largely composed Of farmers, AMI 1t was
happy Thought Oh The part Of the COM
! mi:tee and "a gracious act Of yours to honor
| our meeting by presiding over its dellbar-
| atoms.
trust may lie pardoned for saying that
as representative from the State OF NCrth
| Carolina, it is peculiarly gratifying that
our presiding officer should be the distin
! glished soldier who had the honor to COM
mand the rear guard of the army of Viz
! ginia, under whose leadership North Car
! Olina troops made the last charge that clos
! Ell the drama on the field of AppOmatoX.
! (Applause.l
! A few months ago. at what gave promise OF
being All ordinary social gathering, unprO-
{ al npt nf q ron i1tn
son of Georgia whose fame up to then was
mainly confined to his own State, leaped
into popularity as a peoples hero, and
I Henry W. Grady became famous as the
! personitication of Southern el0quence.
! LApplause.] Iienceforth another name
Southern orators, and the speeches Of Henry
! W. Grady take their place alongside OF
those of Prenti5s, Toumbs, Yancey and Ben
! Hill. A devoted son of his State, en-
gagged III promoting the material prosperity
Of his people, defeating his great abilities
! in that avenue most conducive to the pub
| lie veal, he we'll deserves the honorable
distinction he enjoys, and we beg to eX-
press our thanks 10 the distinguished gen
tleman for the kindly sentiments with
which he has 50 elOqucntly welcomed us
to his city.
Twcnty-three years ago and the traveller
! in your city was met by blackened walls,
harmed houses and devastated homes. All
was ruin, dcsolation and despair. Little
| by little the waste places were cleared and
built upon first here and then there-a
store, a factory, hotel-and soon, as if by
united impulse, the great work began, and
to-day You stand i'll railroad facilities, in
extent of population in beauty of public
editccs and private residences, in hotel
accommodations, i'll number OF manufac-
tories, in wealth and refinement of your
j inhabitants, and above all, in the enter
prise, sagacity and sobriety of your people,
Tie chief city of all the Southern country
| between Richmond and New Orleans.
! Applause You may we'll call your
city the gate city of the South. Through
her gates is received the great traffic that
comes pouring into her lap from the North,
East. South and West and out Of her gates
she sends countless commodities to be dis
ibuted to every part of the State, the
United States and Europe.